Child focused safety features for the exterior of your vehicle: PART 2

PART 2: Child focused safety features for the exterior of your vehicle

Most family friendly vehicles come with a long list of child focused safety features, but what do they actually mean?

We have put together a brief list of vehicle safety features that you might want to consider when purchasing a child friendly vehicle. A lot of the features we mention are standard, but we want to explain what role they play in your family’s safety.

DOOR LOCKS – REAR CHILD SECURITY LOCKS: Child safety locks are built into the rear doors of most vehicles to prevent rear seat passengers from opening the doors, both during transit and while the vehicle is stationary. These locks provide the driver with a simple, safe & secure method of preventing unauthorized exit from the car.

 WINDOWS – REAR WINDOW LOCK-OUT FEATURE: A driver-controlled lockout switch prevents passengers (usually small children) from accidentally triggering the switches.

SAFETY RATINGS – NCAP 5 STAR SAFETY RATING: The New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) rates vehicles to determine crash worthiness and rollover safety. The safety ratings are gathered during controlled crash and rollover tests, which are conducted at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s research facilities. Five stars indicate the highest safety rating.

AIR FILTRATION SYSTEM: This system recirculates cabin air to help prevent exhaust fumes from entering the interior of the vehicle. The filters also remove dust, pollen and other airborne irritants from outside air that is pulled into the vehicle.

REINFORCED STEEL SAFETY CAGE: Helps diffuse impact energy in the passenger compartment and provides a stronger foundation structure.

CRUMPLE ZONES: Crumple zones literally crumple up in a collision by absorbing the energy of the collision and diverting it from the passenger compartment.  As a result the safety cage remains intact.

SIDE IMPACT BEAMS:Side impact cross-car beams help channel energy during a collision.

STABILITRAK:  Electronic Stability Control System intervenes automatically, helping prevent lateral skids and restore steering control.

PROCACTIVE ROLL AVOIDANCE (on most SUV’s):  Proactive roll avoidance reduces the vehicle’s tendency to roll over in a panic situation.

TRACTION CONTROL: A system that automatically applies brake pressure to appropriate wheels, limiting the wheel-spin and helping to re-establish traction.

FORWARD COLLISION ALERT:Forward Collision Alert is a crash-avoidance system that uses sensors to help detect when the driver is getting too close to a vehicle. The systems alerts the driver with visual cues on the dashboard, as well as an audible alert.

LANE DEPARTURE WARNING AND SIDE BLIND ZONE ALERT:A camera, mounted in the rear-view mirror, reads the lines on the road. Should the vehicle stray, the system alerts the driver via visible and audible cues.

REAR PARK ASSIST: This is designed to alert the driver of obstacles while parking. These systems use either electromagnetic or ultrasonic sensors.

REAR BACK-UP CAMERA: Back-up camera displays are activated on a monitor when the vehicle is set in reverse. This is alternatively known as ‘reversing cameras’ or ‘rear view cameras’ and it is specifically designed to avoid a backup collision.

HILL START ASSIST: The system prevents the car from rolling away when driving on an upward or downward incline. The system engages automatically when the vehicle is completely stopped on an incline; it then acts to hold the car stationary for two seconds after the brake is released, giving the driver time to apply the throttle.

TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM: A Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) is an electronic system for monitoring your vehicle’s tire pressure. A tire pressure monitoring system will alert drivers when underinflated tires are detected.

SOME OTHER CONVENIENT SAFETY FEATURES TO CONSIDER WHEN BUYING A VEHICLE WITH A CHILD IN MIND ARE: Wheel mounted audio controls, DVD entertainment with headphones, auxiliary audio input jack, USB Port, flat-folding rear seats, fold-flat front passenger seats, remote start, cargo area security net, halogen headlamps, fog lights, cup holders, extra lighting, keyless entry, Bluetooth and a large storage area.

We hope you enjoy all the excitement that comes along with selecting a new vehicle with your family. Please remember to ask your sales associate what standard and optional features come with your vehicle of choice. Walk away with peace of mind knowing that your family is safe and secure.

Reason`s Why You Need to Consider the 2014 Buick LaCrosse

Buick has long been associated with luxury, reliability, affordability and style. It is precisely these traits that have made Buick the oldest American brand of automobile. We have seen many models come and go throughout the years, but the LaCrosse has always proved to be a favorite.

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This year, Buick has updated the flagship LaCrosse, giving it a slightly new look and adding some luxurious features. The basic frame of the car remains the same, however, there were modifications made to the suspension.

In terms of styling, the front features a new waterfall grille and an update to the rear end. The 2014 LaCrosse also features new wheel designs that are sure to garner attention. The inside of the vehicle takes on a new look and feel with numerous revisions such as: new 8 inch reconfigurable TFT screen and restyled centre stack. Newly available is the option to purchase the New Ultra Luxury Package. The package provides you with semi-analine leather upholstered seats, arm rest and door panels. This leather is the same leather that is used in Aston Martin vehicles.

New and exciting to the 2014 LaCrosse are the Xenon High-Intensity Discharge Headlights that wrap around redesigned LEF Taillights linked with chrome moulding for added style.

When it comes to safety, the 2014 LaCrosse provides you with a number of options to keep you informed and alert no matter the situation. The available options include:

Forward Collision Alert: Senses when you are approaching a vehicle too quickly, alerting you with audio and visual warnings.
Adaptive Cruise Control System: Helps the driver to maintain a safe following distance.
Side Blind Zone Alert and Lane Change Alert: This feature will alert you with a prompt, which is visible in your rear-view mirror. It also alerts you when a vehicle has entered your blind spot or is quickly approaching in the lane beside you.
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert: This alert shows a view of the area behind the car on the colour touch screen. It also notifies you when an object or person is about to cross the rear of the car from either side.

With all the 2014 Buick LaCrosse has to offer, it’s no wonder we’re selling so many. The luxury and affordability of this vehicle outweighs all others in its class. Come and see us at Queenston on the Mountain today and take advantage of our loyalty programs and current offers. We would be happy to schedule you a test drive in the 2014 Buick LaCrosse. Visit us at www.queenstononthemountain.com or call us at 905-528-7001.

5 Star Safety Score For The 2014 Chevrolet Impala

Last month, we were excited to announce that General Motors topped the list for the 2013 J.D. Power Awards with Chevrolet and GMC being the only non-luxury brands to rank in the top 5.  Well, it’s another first for Chevrolet with the redesigned 2014 Impala receiving a five-star safety score.  This score is the highest possible five-star overall vehicle score for safety, as part of the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s New Car Assessment Program.2014impala

So what makes the Impala so outstanding?  Well, it offers a variety of safety features that are attributed to this ranking.  The Collision Mitigation Braking allows for radar technology to sense traffic in front of the vehicle to adjust the vehicle speed, including stopping the vehicle in traffic and accelerating again after.  This is the first time that such a feature has been offered in a Chevrolet.  Some additional features include: forward collision alert, lane departure warning, side blind zone alert, rear cross traffic alert, rear vision camera with dynamic guidelines, ultrasonic rear park assist, brake pre-fill feature, hill hold/start assist and full-speed-range-adaptive cruise control.  The 2014 Impala’s also come with 10 standard airbags and OnStar, providing you with an additional sense of comfort.  OnStar’s GPS and cellular phone technology will automatically call for help in case of a crash.

Gay Kent, GM general director of Vehicle Safety and Crashworthiness had the following to say. “Safety is a key consideration for all car buyers, and Impala sets a new benchmark for Chevrolet’s flagship sedan.  The 2014 Chevrolet Impala is designed to provide excellent crash safety, and offers customers several safety technologies not previously available in Chevrolet.”

If you haven’t had the opportunity to experience the 2014 Impala for yourself, we welcome you to either of our Chevrolet dealerships: Queenston on Centennial or Queenston on the Mountain.  Come and take a test drive today in the award winning Impala and see exactly what it has to offer.

By: Amy Cochren

Credit: Chevrolet Canada, GM Canada

The 2014 Chevrolet Impala – Made in Canada and Arriving Soon…

This week, the production of the tenth generation Chevrolet Impala began. The 2014 Impala rolled off the assembly line at Ontario’s very own Oshawa Assembly plant.

“The all-new Impala demonstrates the new direction of Chevrolet,” said Kevin Williams, president and managing director of GM Canada. “Our employees in Oshawa have executed a flawless plan in bringing this iconic nameplate to life. The newly-redesigned Impala will exceed customers’ expectations because of the hard work and dedication of our employees at Oshawa Assembly.”

Some of the new features available in the new Impala include Adaptive Cruise Control, crash avoidance technologies like Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Side Blind Zone Alert.

Technologically advanced – the new Impala will include the latest MyLink in-vehicle entertainment system which features a customizable color display screen and a natural voice recognition system (a first for Chevrolet).

The engine choices available will be a 3.6L V-6, a new 2.5L four-cylinder and a 2.4L four-cylinder with fuel-saving eAssist technology.

The 2014 Impala will start at $28,445 – only $145 more than the 2013 Impala.

The 2014 Chevrolet Impala is on its’ way and should be making an appearance in our showroom very soon. Visit us at www.hamiltonautoblog.com or www.queenstonchev.com for further updates.

By Nerissa Mohamed

Credit: GM Canada